The California Arts Project, one of the nine California Subject Matter Projects, is pleased to announce the appointment of Nicole Robinson as the new Executive Director of The California Arts Project, effective August 17, 2026. Nicole Robinson succeeds Kristine Alexander, who retired after thirty-four years. In addition to Ms. Robinson’s thirty years’ experience as a dance educator, choreographer, dancer, and advocate for dance education, she has been an active participant and leader in The California Arts Project since 2010, helping to design and facilitate professional learning in both regional and statewide TCAP programs.
Ms. Robinson served as a team lead for the California Arts Standards Revision Committee in Dance. She is a two-term Past President of the California Dance Education Association, the statewide professional organization for dance educators, and has served on the National Dance Education Organization's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Advisory Committee. Most recently, Nicole served for four years as Content Manager for the National Dance Education Organization's Connected Arts Network, leading the development of national professional learning for educators in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts.
Nicole's contributions to arts education have been recognized with numerous honors, including the California League of Teachers Region 10 Teacher of the Year (2015), the Carlston Family Foundation Teacher of the Year (2017), the National Dance Education Organization's K–12 Leadership Award (2024), and the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools' Excellence
in Education Award as an Outstanding Education Professional (2025).
